A centenary year and familiar favourites are all on the calendar at Beamish
General Strike anniversary anchors the museum’s events calendar for 2026
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North has announced a year-long programme of events for 2026, with the County Durham open-air museum marking major historical anniversaries alongside its regular seasonal and family-focused activities.
The vast majority of events throughout the museum’s year-long calendar are included with standard admission, allowing Unlimited Pass holders and Friends of Beamish members to return throughout 2026 without having to open their wallets (tap their phones) more than once.
And organisers are keen to point out the programme has been designed to appeal to repeat visitors as well as first-time audiences, bringing together large-scale heritage events with smaller, hands-on activities across the site’s historic landscapes.
The year kicked off with the Beamish Pantomime, which will enjoy its last set of performances this weekend (February 7-8 - pre-booking required with a small extra charge incurred) in the 1950s Welfare Hall, before making way for a schedule of February Half Term activities, which will explore regional innovation with Canny Creations: Wonderful Inventions from the North East.
Spring events include International Women’s Day celebrations across the weekend of March 7 and 8, Mothering Sunday activities on March 15 and Easter programming, which will examine how the festival was marked in different eras, from the 1820s to the 1950s.
A key focus of the year will be the centenary of the 1926 Lock Out and General Strike. Beamish will mark the anniversary from May 1 to 12, with events linking the national story to the North East’s industrial heritage.
This commemoration sits alongside more traditional celebrations, including May Day festivities and the Festival of Transport later in the month (May 23-31) where a fleet of visiting vehicles will add to the Museum’s already healthy collection of A to B options.
More on-the-road delights will have their engines running on June 21 when the North of England Classic & Pre-War Automobiles Club will preside over an impressive display of classic cars, with visitors invited to watch the start and finish of the 53rd Beamish Reliability Run and listen to a number of brass bands compete in the annual Brass at Beamish competition.
As the summer really kicks in (here’s hoping!) the Mini Miners’ Gathering in The 1900s Pit Village will take place on July 4 and 5 (part of the General Strike centenary activity) alongside the World Quoits Championships.
Later in the month, winners will also be declared during the Attelage weekend as the Concours d’International d’Attelage de Tradition (CIAT) hosts its annual carriage driving competition (July 18-19)
A crowd of family activities will be available to get amongst throughout the summer holidays before the autumn programme gets underway with the North East Horticultural Society’s annual show (September 5-6). Visitors are very much encouraged to bring along their homegrown produce and be in with a chance of going home with a prize.
Also booked in is the Georgian Gathering on September 19-20; traditional Harvest Celebrations at the beginning of October; and Rememberance Sunday commemorations on November 8.
And then it’ll be Christmas! Anyone else need a nap?
Full details of the programme are available via the website.